Secrets
by DM-sama
Summary: Everyone has a secret, but when Kairi meets college senior Zexion by chance in the park, she learns that some secrets are deadlier then others. Zexy/Kairi AU


The sun was high in the sky, its' blistering heat holding the Earth hostage. With no clouds in the sky there was hardly a chance for shade. Even if someone hid under a tree in hopes of relief, there wasn't a gust of wind anyway.

Zexion tried to do so nevertheless. Sweat glistened down his forehead as he tried to breath in whatever oxygen was left in the air. Most of the harsh rays of the sun were blocked out by the thick branches of the tree, but even still he felt like he was burning up. It was making him the normal kind of thirsty.

"Where…where _is _he?" he panted, wondering out loud. He was supposed to meet a certain redhead at ten o'clock this morning. It was now noon. Zexion had lost his patience two hours ago, and he had been known to have all of the patience in the world.

It would have been much more bearable if it wasn't for the sun trying to bake him into a cookie. He wished that he could take off his solid, black coat, but then the sun would really burn him up into a custom-made Zexion cookie.

_And then Axel would sell me on eBay to the highest bidder_, Zexion smirked woefully at the suffering Axel had placed him through. Either Axel was trying to get back at him after Zexion dyed all of the redheads' underwear pink, or he was on a date and forgot about Zexion completely.

Either way Zexion had wasted three precious hours for absolutely nothing, which made him really pissed off. Running an angry hand through his silver-blue locks, he rose to his feet and walked out into the cruel light. He raised a gloved hand to protect his one unguarded eye as he stumbled onward.

He prayed silently that his fraternity home would be uninhabited enough to complete his collage assignment. Lexaeus or Vexen wouldn't bother, but Marluxia or Demyx would be a hindrance. Zexion was pretty sure that the home was empty, hoped it was. His throat has constricted painfully; he needed a drink before it would elevate any further.

He walked on. The park he was strolling in was empty save for him, but every now and then a passerby would come into sight, most of them would giving him a strange look, wondering why he would were such clothes on a hot day like this. Others ignored him completely. It was when he was near the lake of the massive park did he see someone stalking him. Or multiple someone's.

_Oh great, they found me_. Zexion sighed as he heard the shuffle of feet and giggles of various girls. Of course, girls followed his fraternity everywhere. Zexion estimated that it was about fifteen girls this time. He continued to move, speeding his pace slightly and trusted them to be gone soon enough.

Only they didn't. They followed him all around the park. They thought they were so clever, thinking that he couldn't see them just because they ran for cover whenever he twitched his head. It was beyond irritating. It wasn't like he could walk over and scare them away; Xemnas would be sure to scold him for 'losing his cool'. And running away wouldn't do anything except getting chased by a mob, becoming a laughing stock for the Organization or, if he _really _ran, raise questions. Both sounded unpleasant.

Just when he was about to decide to call up Xigbar for some help did he see his ticket for escape. A young girl with pretty, red hair with her face buried in her hands was sitting down on one of the various wooden benches that overlooked the lake. The left side of the bench was uninhabited, and it mocked him slightly. When he saw one of the stalker persons behind him start itching forward, he thought to himself "_Screw it_". He gently nudged the girl's foot with his toe in attempt to get her attention.

"Is this seat taken?" asked Zexion softly. The girl in front of him perked her head up with a teary-blue eyed gaze, and something inside of him jumped uncomfortably. This just wasn't any girl; this was Kairi, a straight-A, model student, president of her class, and probably the only girl in school which every guy lusted for in some way. Of course, Zexion knew her only for the reason being that she was the one he had secretly desired for the best of three years, since she first enrolled into his college.

It had been like a little buzz entered his head and wouldn't get out. Every time she was in range of his senses (even if she was _mentioned_) the buzzing grew worse. He would feel a pressuring pain in his upper jaw and a sharp twinge on his lower lip. The fellow Organization members wouldn't know if he was in pain (he could be ripped limp from limp and they still wouldn't notice) but he suspected that Xemnas probably figured something was wrong with him. He always knew. The way he would glare disapprovingly at Zexion when Kairi was brought up was reason enough to suspect…

Zexion craved for her in all the wrong ways, which certainly isn't safe for her—

She was crying.

Whatever jumped inside of him was now twisted up painfully. It didn't take a genius to figure it out and he mentally kicked himself for not noticing it before. Tears streaked un-dried down her face, and her sapphire eyes were a puffy red.

"W—what?" asked Kairi, hiccupping slightly. Zexion was confused at this, then he remembered his question.

"May I have the pleasure of occupying that seat?" he asked, and rewarded with a bewildered look from her, and then an even more confused nod.

_It's not like I am doing anything wrong_, he tried to justify. _It's just to throw off the crazy girls and then I am off_.

Nevertheless, when he sat down silently on the bench next to her, he felt his curiosity strengthen, and the middle-age chivalry that was implanted in him since birth started to take hold of his thoughts. He could see Kairi trying to compose herself, quickly wiping away the tears on her cheeks and snuffling quietly. Zexion turned and saw that his spilt-second plan had worked; his stalkers look stumped and were no longer giggling. He gave his attention back to Kairi, and felt curiosity get the best of him.

"Why are you crying?"

She perked her head up a second time and still looked confused, most likely wondering why he was here. He fixed his crystal eye on her sapphire ones, urging her to answer. She gulped, and took a shuttering breath.

"I'm not crying," she answered stubbornly, like a sulky child, and looked away from him. By the way she was sitting he could tell she was itching to escape. Before he could reply he was interrupted by a tall girl with dark, brown hair who suddenly appeared before them. She stood in front of him, acting like Kairi didn't even exist.

"Hello, Zexion," the girl said coyly. "How are you today?" He saw in the corner of his eyes as Kairi made to get up and give the obnoxious girl her space, starting to say, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that—"

Zexion didn't think about it when he clapped one hand on Kairi's shoulder and the other over her mouth, stilling her and silencing her at the same time.

"Didn't realize that we were to be so rudely interrupted," finished Zexion, looking crossly at the self-assured, black-haired girl, whose confident smile was wiped clean off her face. "If you would," he added coldly, gesturing his head towards the other stalkers. The black-haired girl gave a poised snort in response and stormed off to her posse.

"That wasn't nice at all," Kairi murmured, peeling his fingers from her lips.

"What would you say to a stalker?" asked Zexion, moving away from her to cross his arms. He raised a brow.

"That girl was stalking you?" she asked, looking surprised. He turned around so he could point out the black-haired girl with her accomplices. Sensing his gaze the girls went into a kind of spasm, and suddenly started to glare daggers. Kairi tried to looking apologetic, and waved.

_I think I just jeopardized Kairi's well-being, _he thought to himself as Kairi flinched away from the girl's murderous gazes, looking terrified.

"They'll leave when they figure out they've lost their chance," consoled Zexion, smirking at her panicked expression. She shook herself slightly, and wiped away any tears that she missed. His curiosity came back.

"Is that why you had a sudden urge to sit next to me today?" she asked, smiling, showing perfect teeth. "When you should be otherwise ignoring my existence? To shake off your fan club?"

"Big words," perceived Zexion. "Don't you think that the real reason I sat here was because I think that you're pretty?"

Kairi made a noise in the back of her throat that sounded like a cross between a hiccup and a snort.

"Because I _know _you."

"_Know _me? As far as I know this is the first time that we have ever conversed."

"Exactly."

Zexion made a puzzled look, and Kairi threw him a stubborn stare, determined for him to understand her.

"I've never had the _pleasure _of _conversing _with you, but you're face says that you hate people. So you don't talk much. _And _you don't seem like the kind of guy who wouldgo out of your way to sit next to someone _just because they're pretty_. Especially someone like me."

_What a mouth_! Zexion stared at Kairi from her speech that she took on a single breath. Then he caught on to something she said.

"What do you mean 'someone like you'?" he asked, rolling his hands into fist as a faint pink appeared on her cheeks.

"Nothing…" she mumbled. They both didn't speak for awhile, and Zexion noticed that most of his fan club had disappeared, though the really determined ones continued to the stakeout. He really wished they would leave. Although he knew it wouldn't be anywhere near a safe choice, he wanted to be alone with Kairi. It was an impulse, but he would have to control it. After all, it'll disappear if he ignored it.

"You really think I'm pretty?"

Zexion looked back over to Kairi, surprised by the question. The look on her face was skeptical, and sarcastic, yet something in her eyes told him she wanted to know.

_And what beautiful eyes they are_. Zexion smirked.

"I'll answer that question if you answer mine," he answered. She blinked in surprise. Zexion leaned closer, but only slightly.

"Why were you crying?" he asked for the third time.

"Oh…" she looked down the folded hands in her lap. Kairi didn't answer for a long time, and he didn't break the silence as she tried to gather an answer.

"Well…" she started, and Zexion absentmindedly leaned closer. "It's…stupid really…"

"_Please_," implored Zexion softly, Kairi looked up in surprise. Whatever was in his expression must have made her go on, though, because she looked back down to her hands and continued.

"W-well…some blond girl with green eyes started to pick on me…and I guess after she called me a dirty whore for the seventh time I broke down crying and ran away."

A fresh trail of tears started to brim over her eyes and she hid her face behind her hair. Zexion felt something thump painfully in his chest; he had an idea who the blond girl was in the first place .

"Would this girl happen to have her hair slicked back, and antennas sticking out of her head?" Zexion felt a strong surge of anger towards Larxene when Kairi tenderly nodded her head. Of course Larxene would attack someone as vulnerable, and defenseless as Kairi, and of _course _Kairi would take the blond Godzilla's words to heart. It was just too cliché.

"You know her?" she asked, her eyes clearing up again. Zexion nodded his head, "That was Larxene…you don't want to mess with her, then expect to have your head still intact." Kairi fell silent, and Zexion didn't bother to try and break it. He would have to remind Larxene of her place when he got back to the house.

"Hey," said Zexion after a few minutes. Her sapphire eyes were still hidden from him. "Don't listen to her. Larxene abuses everyone; it's just how she works. I would know Kairi, I _live _with her."

Zexion felt relief when he saw her eyes again, but they were strangely blank.

"You…live with her? Like…moved in?"

"No, _no_," Zexion felt sick just thinking about something like that. "Organization XIII? Ring a bell?"

"What do you…oh," a flicker of comprehension flashed onto her face. "You mean that crazy cult?" Zexion gave an amused smirk and nodded his head.

"I would say it's more like a…gathering of specific outsiders," said Zexion. Kairi opened her mouth to say something else, but Zexion suddenly raised a finger to silence her.

"I think it's high time to shake off my fan club once and for all," Kairi furrowed her brow at Zexion's sudden statement, she looked over to see that more than seven girls were still hiding behind one of the various trees, spying on them like vultures.

"Have you lost your mind in the last few seconds or something?" asked Kairi as Zexion stood, towering over her. The effect was slightly frightening, though his eyes showed nothing but amusement. He held his hand out to her.

"Where are we going?" she asked, ignoring his gesture and remained sitting.

"It's this place I know. The view is magnificent, I'm hoping it will cheer you up," replied Zexion, his gloved hand still offering. "You seem like one to enjoy beauty. However, if you'd rather not…" he trailed off delicately, and started to withdraw his hand. Kairi shot up to her feet and grabbed his hand eagerly.

"I'm all for it!" she exclaimed, smiling her perfect teeth again. Zexion looked taken aback from her sudden mood swing, but cleverly hid it before she could see, and gently brushed his lips on the back of her hand.

"I am honored to oblige," he said softly.

Zexion gave a hearty chuckle when he heard the various shrieks and cries from the stalkers as he walked away, dragging Kairi along with him, still holding her hand.

**~*O*~**

"This…is new."

With a bar of ice cream clutched tightly in her hands, Kairi gazed out to the sky as she sat on the Twilight Town clock tower. Zexion was sitting next to her, and could only see his long bangs.

"I'm sorry, do you have a fear of heights?" asked Zexion, raising the blue ice cream to his lips but, Kairi noted, did not lick the bar.

"No," she said defensively, taking a quick bite of the bittersweet ice cream. At first the saltiness of it made Kairi wince from it, but the aftertaste was very pleasant. She took another bite. "It's just that…when I woke up today I never thought I would eating ice cream with Number VI."

"Ah," he said, "so you know my number. Very clever of you."

Kairi turned to him and smiled. "Don't get me wrong. My roommate is obsessed with you and that Axel guy too. I can't help but hear her going over her notes when I'm studying for a test."

Zexion once again raised the ice cream bar to his lips. "Speaking of Axel, I wonder what he would say if I told him I'm using his spot for personal affairs."

Kairi looked over to Zexion and threw him a confused look; he chuckled when he saw it. "You see, my colleges Roxas and Axel come to this spot at the end of every school day to celebrate a job well done. I'm afraid to say I stole the ice cream thing from them too."

"Well, I guess I know now to never let you watch my cell phone," said Kairi jokingly. "You would just steal it."

Zexion laughed and she shyly giggled. She took another lick of the blue sweet.

"Personal affairs?" asked Kairi randomly after a few minutes. Zexion turned to her and smiled slyly, something in his mouth glinted in the sunshine.

"Don't you know? Along with your precious cell phone I intend to steal your heart and claim it as my own!" He began to laugh evilly, making dramatic arm gestures like an old time movie villain. Kairi laughed a little more freely and took a swift bite of the sweet again; she was down to the stick.

"So…"she said through the ice cream in her mouth, "why are you called Number VI? Or Axel Number VIII?"

"It's based around when we've been initiated in the Organization. I was after Lexaeus, but before Saïx."

"Oh, I would have thought it was like a rank or something."

"No, though the later members have the least say in anything we do. Just ask Roxas, we _never _listen to him!" She laughed. "Are you still surprised that we aren't an age old cult of devil worshippers?"

"Yes, very surprised," she chortled. "Axel still seems a little out of place though."

"I can think of a million reasons as to why Axel is out of place, "said Zexion. "One of them including dyeing my hair a vivid purple with a strange mixture he snuck into my shampoo. But never mind that, what's your reason?"

"Well," started Kairi, giggling softly at the image of a Zexion with purple hair, "I mean…he's always dating different girls every day. I know that's very common for boys like him, but it's just so annoying."

Kairi made to take an angry chomp out of the sweet, but soon realized that it was all gone. Zexion didn't say anything as he raised the ice cream to his lips.

"Don't worry about it," said he soothingly. "Axel wouldn't ever go for a girl like you. You're too strong for him."

Kairi didn't respond to that as she placed the ice cream stick on the stone next to her and took a small breath. The silence stretched on and she watched as his ice cream melted.

"Um…Zexion," she breathed, "your ice cream."

"I know," he said, not looking to her when he did. Kairi didn't say anything to this either, but this time he did.

"What's your favorite color Kairi?"

She blinked, obviously taken aback by such a random question. Under his piercing gaze, she unwillingly found herself saying, "It's red." He lapsed into a thoughtful silence. "Why? What's your favorite color?"

"Sapphire," he said without hesitation. _Well, much more majestic than plain red_, she thought to herself.

"You know, you're a lot different than the guys I know," she said. "I mean, I _never _see you with a girl, and you make it sound like being doted upon by the teeming masses is a total drag…" Kairi had no idea where she was going with this, but found that she couldn't stop. "And now that I think about it, you're _always _avoiding those girls…"

She felt something sticky hit her on the head, and she gave a yelp. Zexion had picked up Kairi's finished ice cream stick and threw it at her in a fury.

"What do you think, that I'm homosexual?" he snapped.

"No!" said Kairi, defensively, though her voice was higher than normal. Zexion crossed his arms and looked at her doubtfully. "Well…it might have crossed my mind…" she admitted, and she heard a disbelieving snort from Zexion, whose lips were pressed together in a thin line.

"Don't get me wrong," said Kairi, trying to redeem what she started. "But seriously, how many guys in the world would take the trouble to try and cheer a crying girl up? Normal guys would be running for the hills."

"Normal…" Kairi looked over to Zexion as he breathed that one word. By the way he said it, it sounded like he held plenty of secrets, most of which he didn't look happy to have.

"What? What is it?" she asked demandingly.

He slowly turned to her and when Kairi saw his crystal eye she saw something swirling in the depths of them. He looked…like he was in pain. Why would he look like that? What hurt him? Kairi felt the urge to move closer to him and try to comfort him in any way she could, but something in his expression kept her at bay.

"Why did you come?" he asked softly, and his voice sounded so tormented it hurt her. What was _wrong _with him? Was it something she said?

"I'm sorry," she tried to amend. "I didn't mean to offend you—"

"Not that!" snapped Zexion, looking impatient. Kairi flinched, already used to his kind gaze. "Why did you come up here with me?" he tried again, but this time more softly.

Kairi opened her mouth to answer, but she let close. She couldn't remember what had compelled her to join him. After all, with all of those stories of big men luring young girls into dark alleyways, promising sweets…

"I mean, how do you know I wasn't trying to get you alone somewhere, or something?" asked Zexion, whispering now. Kairi gasped when he voiced her thoughts, and Zexion looked instantly regretful at frightening her once again.

"I apologize," he talked so softly that Kairi barely heard him.

"No, no," said Kairi, "I think I can answer that question."

Zexion didn't say anything as Kairi tried to gather her answer. Twice she opened her mouth, but closed it again, changing her mind, and Zexion looked over both times, looking expectant.

"I guess…you just looked so nice…and…" she said finally, "…and so excited to show me something, I couldn't just say no."

Zexion looked incredulous, and Kairi shouted defensively, "It's true!" He didn't respond, and she felt a cold aura around him now. It was the same as when he shunned that pretty, black-haired girl, now he was mad at Kairi herself. That thought troubled her more then it should've.

"I didn't mean to upset you," said Zexion, and Kairi popped her head up so fast that she felt a whiplash. "It's just that…I'd never expected someone to treat me so regularly…like I'm human," he said again.

"What do you mean, 'human'?" asked Kairi. "I can see that some girls would treat you like a demi-god, but what about your fraternity? Organization XIII?"

"You'd be surprised…" he mumbled, a vision flashed across Kairi's eyelids. A picture of Zexion with a group of faceless others, all of them socializing with one or the other. Except Zexion. They shunned him, even though he wasn't even a foot away. He had that pained look once again though it was much more pronounced, and Kairi felt something tug at her heart.

"But that's just it," said Zexion, mournfully. "You think I'd actually allow my lips to touch one of those carnivorous beasts? Really?" And he gave a noise that crossed between a chuckle and a sigh. "I guess not…"

"I see," said Kairi, and Zexion looked to her, giving the impression of being fearful. "You feel out-of-place even with your friends, right?"

Zexion gave a snort, and said, "Friends? Hardly…"

"I thought you liked that Lexaeus guy, and Vexen. You always seem to hang out with them."

"Hmmm…"

Zexion did not say anything as he placed the now bare ice cream on the brick to his right, and stood. Kairi couldn't help but think how majestic he looked, like a war hero getting ready to strike the final blow. It was beautiful, and rather frightening. Just like before, the shadows flickering on his body made him look like a ghost.

"It's getting late," he said, and Kairi gasped when she saw that the sun was setting slowly behind the horizon. It was beautiful, and now she understood why Roxas and Axel would come here at the end of the day. _I guess even boys can appreciate natural beauty when they see it_, she thought, wryly.

"I'll take you home," he said, and he stepped off of the ledge and extended his hand to Kairi. She accepted it, but protested to what he had said.

"My roommate won't expect me home until midnight, tonight," said Kairi, following to the exit.

"So?"

"_So_, she has both of the keys, and the door is locked to my room. I'm locked out."

"…why on earth would you two do _that_?"

"I was supposed to be in the library, studying for some tests tomorrow…I guess your little Nymph friend disagreed with me. And Selphie is out on a date so she can't let me in."

Zexion looked to her, his eyes gleaming with disapproval. Kairi jutted her chin and said defensively, "We are very time-coordinated."

He didn't say anything, and both of them remained silent as they reached the bottom of the tower. The train station was empty of any passerby's, and the only people who were there were Zexion and Kairi, and the few people who gave out tickets.

"Well, it's not like you can break your promise, can you?"

Kairi turned around to see Zexion with his back turned to her, and walking towards the front entrance. Kairi jogged to catch up.

"But the library is ten miles away from here! I don't have a bike or anything," said Kairi. Her apartment, which she shared with her roommate, was only five miles from here. Selphie dropped her off at the library steps, because she had a car. Kairi did not. "I'll just walk back to my apartment building, and wait for her to come home. You don't have to worry."

Zexion gave a snort at her conclusion, and Kairi could see in the depths of his eyes an argument formulating inside of his head.

"I wouldn't say that, after all," he started, "you would be lying to your friend."

"And how would I do that?"

"Well, for starters, she is going to ask you how that library was, and you will tell her that you didn't go, because you didn't. Then she's going to ask you what you did do with your day, and something tells me that many awkward questions will arise, of course, when your Zexion-obsessed friend learns of what you really did do with your time."

Kairi tried to rebuttal an argument, but she found herself staring at him in puzzlement. He was absolutely right. Zexion chuckled at her dazed expression.

"I have exceptionally observant skills, love," chortled Zexion. Kairi blinked, stared at him with a furrowed brow. He looked at her questioningly, until he reflected on what he had said.

"One of my colleges is a Brit, I can't help but imitate," he said.

"So what are you going to do about it, gov'nar?" asked Kairi, struggling to maintain a giggle.

"A little bird whispered in my ear that you like to read particularly old books," said Zexion simply. Kairi stared in confusion.

**~*O*~**

**I had founded this ficlet at the very bottom of my documents. Some of you may recognize it since I had once posted it up, but for some reason took it down. I edited it a bit, and you'll notice a few slight changes, but not enough to make a fuss. I figured I'd re-post this in celebration of the fact that Inezo is in **_**Kingdom Hearts 3DS. **_**So excited, pray they don't kill him again! OH GOD, DON'T KILL HIM AGAIN!**

**~DM-sama**


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